Scots could ‘work to death’ under pension rules

Sarah Bradley

The age of retirement could rise about life expectancy in more than 100 Scottish communities, MPs have warned.

A new report, by the Commons Work and Pensions Committee, say state pension claimants would have to be 70.5 years old by 2060 if the current rate of annual increases is sustained.

This is higher than the life expentency in 160 parts of Scotland.

Committee chairman Frank Field said: “The only way state pension expenditure can be made sustainable is to keeop raising the state pension age. This has the effect of excluding ever more people from the state pension all together.”

He said those from poorer backgrounds and manual professions would be most affected.

The Institute of Fiscal Studies said maintninng the current pension system would require the state pension to rise to 70.5 by 2060.

In some parts of Glasgow, including Parkhead West, the life expetency is just 62.5.